TEAM CASTROL/JOHN AND ASHLEY PRE-RACE PACKAGE FOR READING
TEAM CASTROL JOHN FORCE/ASHLEY FORCE HOOD Pre-Race Package for the 25th annual Toyo Tires Nationals August 21-23, 2009 Maple Grove Raceway Reading, Pa. 17th event in the Countdown to the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Championship * * * * follow John Force Racing at _www.twitter.com/jfr_racing_ (http://www.twitter.com/jfr_racing) * * * * OVERVIEW: Robert Hight is running out of time in his bid to put the Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang in the 10-driver field for the NHRA playoffs and John Force has gotten creative in his bid to give his teammate and son-in-law a shot at the $500,000 Full Throttle title. To wit, Hight will drive the next two races not for crew chief Jimmy Prock, with whom he has been a Top 5 finisher eacch of the last four seasons, but rather for veteran Hall of Fame crew chiefs Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly. Force, meanwhile, will move over one pit stop to race a Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford prepared by Prock. Although Force believes that Prock is on the verge of returning his car to prominence after a season of struggle, he decided that Hight could not afford to wait any longer. “Robert needs consistency right now and that’s why I moved him over with my crew,�?? Force said. “He needs to go rounds and he’ll be fine. We need to get the Auto Club car in the Countdown. That’s our No. 1 priority. Ashley (Ashley Force Hood, driver of the Castrol GTX Ford) is already in. I’m not safe, but I’m in pretty good shape after going to the semifinals (last week at Brainerd, Minn.). “Mike Neff is ninth and his car (the Ford Drive One Mustang) has been running good, so Robert is priority.�?? Force hasn’t tried to qualify for an NHRA tour event in a Funny Car prepared by anyone but Austin Coil since Oct. 18, 1984. Force has won 999 rounds with Coil; 31 with his other crew chiefs combined including, among others, Larry Frazier and Steve Plueger. Frazier was the last crew chief other than Coil for whom he won a round. Force comes into the Toyo Tires Nationals, a race he’s won six times, in eighth place in points, 68 points ahead of teammate Neff. The only Ford or JFR driver to have locked up a Countdown berth is Force Hood, who is in along with points leader Tony Pedregon and Ron Capps. * * * * JFR RACING HISTORY AT MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY: Wins – 7, six by John Force for Castrol GTX (1989-90, 1993-94, 1997, 2001); one by Tony Pedregon for Castrol SYNTEC (2002). Last year – Mike Neff drove all the way to the semifinals before losing to Frank Hawley, beating teammates Ashley Force and Robert Hight along the way. John Force was ousted in round two by Jack Beckman. Notable #1 – Only at the Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta, Ga., has John Force appeared in more final rounds than he has in the Toyo Tires Nationals (13). Notable #2 – Although she hasn't advanced beyond the second round at the wheel of her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car, Ashley Force was runner-up to Morgan Lucas for the Top Alcohol Dragster championship at the 2004 Toyo Tires Nationals. Notable #3 – Although he’s won six times at Maple Grove, John Force has been runner-up in his last three trips to the final round – 2004, 2005 and 2007. * * * * PRO POINTS (2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series point standings): Funny Car – *1. Tony Pedregon, Q Racing Chevrolet, 1215; *2. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge Charger, 1187; *3. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 1090; 4. Jack Beckman, Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger, 960; 5. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, 950; 6. Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, 894; 7. Del Worsham, Al-Anabi Toyota Solara, 877; 8. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 846; 9. Mike Neff, Ford Drive One Ford Mustang, 778; 10. Cruz Pedregon, Advance Toyota Solara, 768. Also, 11. Matt Hagan, Shelor Motor Mile Dodge Charger, 738; 12. Robert Hight, Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 708. Top Fuel – *1. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 1357; *2. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster, 1140; *3. Larry Dixon, Al-Anabi dragster, 1132; *4. Brandon Bernstein, Budweiser dragster, 998; *5. Cory McClenathan, Fram dragster, 985; *6. Morgan Lucas, GEICO Insurance dragster, 944; *7. Spencer Massey, US Smokeless Tobacco dragster, 886; *8. Shawn Langdon, Lucas Oil dragster, 859; 9. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Racing dragster, 732; 10. Clay Millican, Nitrofish dragster, 651. Pro Stock – *1. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, 1325; *2. Jason Line, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 1298; *3. Mike Edwards, Young Life/Penhall Pontiac, 1291; *4. Greg Anderson, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 1165; *5. Allen Johnson, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus, 1066; 6. Greg Stanfield, Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, 828; 7. Ron Krisher, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt, 793; 8. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, 752; 9. Rickie Jones, Quarter-Max/RJ Race Cars Dodge Stratus, 711; 10. Warren Johnson, K&N Filters Pontiac GXP, 659. Pro Stock Motorcycle – *1. Eddie Krawiec, Englishtown, N.J., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 911; *2. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 803; *3. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Suzuki, 668; *4. Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Buell, 644; *5. Craig Treble, Harvey, La., Suzuki, 641; 6. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Buell, 632; 7. Matt Guidera, Loomis, Calif., Buell, 531; 8. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Buell, 442; 9. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Suzuki, 425; 10. Karen Stoffer, Smith, Nev., Suzuki, 423. *Clinched a berth in the Countdown to One playoffs. * * * * TELEVISION (all on ESPN2, all times Eastern Daylight): Qualifying – Sunday, August 23, 1-3 a.m.; 10-11 a.m. NHRA RaceDay – Sunday, August 23, 11 a.m. Race Highlights – Sunday, August 23, 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Repeat race highlights – Wednesday, August 26, 3-5 a.m. * * * * NEXT EVENTS (2009 NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship): 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Sept. 2-7, Indianapolis, Ind. 2nd annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 18-20, Charlotte, N.C. 24th annual O’Reilly Super Start Batteries Fall Nationals, Sept. 25-27, Dallas, Texas 22nd annual O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals, Oct. 2-4, Memphis, Tenn. 4th annual NHRA Virginia Nationals, Oct. 9-11, Richmond, Va. * * * * CONTACTS: JFR Team PR and Marketing: Dave Densmore Elon Werner 214-244-0008 214-244-1184 _denswood@aol.com_ (mailto:denswood@aol.com) _elon@johnforceracing.com_ (mailto:elon@johnforceracing.com) Kelly Antonelli Chad Light Andrew Hagstrom 317-858-8900 714-921-8123 714-326-3450 _kelly@johnforceracing.com_ (mailto:kelly@johnforceracing.com) _chad@johnforceracing.com_ (mailto:chad@johnforceracing.com) Sponsor PR: Lori Anne Gola Rick Lalor BP/Castrol Auto Club of Southern California 973-633-2393 714-885-2085 _lorianne.gola@bp.com_ (mailto:lorianne.gola@bp.com) _lalor.rick@aaa-calif.com_ (mailto:lalor.rick@aaa-calif.com) * * * * For photo images or further information, contact one of the representatives above or visit us at _www.johnforceracing.com_ (http://www.johnforceracing.com/) . * * * * For Immediate Release FORCE , HIGHT SWAP CREWS FOR TOYO TIRES NATIONALS 14-Time Champ Will Race for Prock at Maple Grove READING, Pa. – It's been 25 years since John Force drove a race car for anyone other than Hall of Fame crew chief Austin Coil. Nevertheless, that streak will end this Friday when the 14-time champion rolls to the starting line to begin qualifying for the 25th annual Toyo Tires Nationals in a Castrol GTX® High Mileage™ Ford prepared by Jimmy Prock. In a bid to provide a struggling Robert Hight with the best opportunity to make the NHRA's Countdown to One playoffs, Force decided to place the former NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year with the most experienced of the four crews that support the John Force Racing, Inc., Funny Car effort – his own. As a result, Hight will drive for Coil and Bernie Fedderly this week at Maple Grove Raceway while Force will rely on Prock to lock up a playoff spot of his own. "We're just trying to shake things up a little and give Robert and Auto Club their best chance to make the Countdown," Force said. "Going to the semifinals last week got me close enough so now we can focus on Robert." It's the latest in a series of steps taken by the sport's biggest winner in an effort to light a fire under a team that, as a whole, has struggled this season. "It's one of the things we talked about when I met with the crew chiefs after Norwalk (and the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals)," Force said of the crew swap, "but we couldn't do anything because I wasn't up in the points." The last time anyone but Coil made the tuning decisions on Force's Funny Car at an NHRA national event was Oct. 21, 1984 when Larry Frazier was crew chief and the 14-time Auto Racing All-America selection was beaten in the first round of the Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Calif. -more- Force/Maple Grove 2222 Nevertheless, Force is excited about being paired with Prock, considered one of the most talented young crew chiefs in the sport. "I remember Jimmy sitting on the tailgate of the truck back when his dad (Tom Prock) used to give me used clutch parts," Force recalled. "He's been a little lost, but he's close. All he needs is to get his confidence back." Although he turned 60 this year and even though he is less than two years removed from the devastating crash that left him hospitalized for almost a month with broken bones in his arms, legs, hands and feet, Force has given few indications that his skills have diminished. In fact, he was credited with a .033 reaction time last week in a semifinal showdown with Ron Capps that gave him a substantial starting line advantage before his car lost traction in the heat. If anything, Force believes he is in better physical condition today than he was when he crashed on Sept. 23, 2007. That said, the 14-time series champion is in the midst of the longest streak of his career in which he hasn't reached the finals. Not since June 1, 2008 has the 126-time tour winner raced for a tour victory. That's 31 events. The longest he had gone previously without a final round appearance was 22 consecutive events from 1979 through June of 1983. * * * * At Maple Grove Raceway: – Only in the Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta, Ga., where he's reached the finals 14 times, has John appeared in more final rounds than he has at Maple Grove Raceway (13). – The last time John Force went this deep into the season without a win or a final round appearance (1989), he avoided the shutout by beating series champion-to-be Bruce Larson in the final round of the precursor to the Toyo Tires Nationals. That was his only victory of the season. – John is among six drivers and officials who will be welcomed into Maple Grove Raceway's Walk of Fame at this year's Toyo Tires Nationals. He will be joined, among others, by Kenny Bernstein, Frank Manzo and NHRA announcer Bob Frey Did You Know? – John is trying to extend to a record-setting 23 the number of consecutive seasons in which he has won at least one NHRA tour event and to 25 the number of successive years in which he has reached at least one final round. – John hasn't qualified No. 1 since Sept. 1, 2006 at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind. That's a span of 65 races, the longest he has gone without a No. 1 start in his entire pro career. – Last year, John was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Novi, Mich. He was joined this year by Kenny Bernstein. – If John makes the Countdown, it would insure his record 25th straight Top 10 finish. The last time he failed to make the Top 10 was1984 when he was 13th. That's also the last season he had a losing record (5-8). This year he is one round win shy of .500 at 15-16. -www.johnforceracing.com- For more information about Castrol-branded products and services, please visit us at Castrol.com/US Force/Maple Grove 3333 FORCE's Edge Overall NHRA records (and Funny Car division records) Most career victories (126) Most series championships (14) Most career final rounds (202) Most career rounds won (1030) Most consecutive series championships (10, 1993-2002) Most consecutive seasons with one or more victories (22)* Most consecutive seasons with at least one final round appearance (24)* Most consecutive seasons with multiple tour victories (18, 1990-2007) Most consecutive national events without a DNQ (395, 1988-2007) Most consecutive Top 10 seasons (24) Highest winning percentage, one season (91.5%, 65-6) *tied with Warren Johnson, Pro Stock Other NHRA Funny Car division records Most final rounds, one season (16, 1996) Most victories, one season (13, 1996) Most rounds won, one season (65, 1996) Most career No. 1 starts (131) Most No. 1 starts, one season (11, 1996) Most consecutive final round appearances, one event (nine, 1992-2000, Atlanta, Ga.) Career starts (518) Awards Driver of the Year (1996) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2008 inductee) AARWBA Auto Racing All-America Team (14 times, 1990, 1993-2002, 2004-2006) Jerry Titus Memorial Award (most AARWBA votes, 4 times, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002) AARWBA Comeback Award (2008) Speed TV Comeback Award (2008) SAE Motorsports Achievement Award (2008) AutoSport Magazine's John Bolster Award for lifetime achievement (2005) Force/Maple Grove 4444 Milestones First round win, over Tom McEwen, June 1, 1979, Cajun Nationals, Baton Rouge, La. First No. 1 qualifier, May 25, 1986, Cajun Nationals, Baton Rouge, La. First tour victory, June 28, 1987, Le Grandnational Molson, Montreal, Canada First Funny Car driver to break 4.90 second barrier, July 6, 1996, Topeka, Kan. First drag racer to win Driver of the Year award for all of American motor sports (1996) First Funny Car driver to break 4.80 second barrier, Oct. 24, 1998, Dallas, Texas First (and only) drag racer to win 100 events, April 14, 2002, Houston, Texas First Funny Car driver to break 4.70 second barrier, Oct. 2, 2004, Joliet, Ill. No. 2 (behind Don Garlits) in balloting to determine Top 50 drivers in NHRA's first 50 years (2001) First (and only) drag racer to win 1,000 racing rounds, May 4, 2008, Madison, Ill. JOHN FORCE By the Numbers 1 Driver of the Year award (1996, the first drag racer ever so honored). 3 screws securing ankle bones from compound fracture suffered in Sept. 23, 2007 crash at Dallas, Texas. 4 final round appearances in last eight races at Maple Grove Raceway 5 seasons with 10 or more tour victories (1993-94, 1996, 1999-2000). 6 wins in the Toyo Tires Nationals (1989-90, 1993-94, 1997, 2001) 7 No. 1 starts in the Toyo Tires Nationals leading to wins in 1990, 1994 and 2001. 8 current position in Full Throttle points. 9 runner-up finishes before winning for the first time. 10 straight Funny Car titles (1993-2002). 14 times named to AARWBA Auto Racing All-America Team. 22 consecutive seasons with at least one NHRA tour victory. 24 consecutive Top 10 finishes. 126 tour events won 1030 competitive rounds won. -www.johnforceracing.com- For more information about Castrol-branded products and services, please visit us at Castrol.com/US For Immediate Release FORCE HOOD CONFIDENT ON EVE OF COUNTDOWN Champ's Daughter Emerges as Serious Contender READING, Pa. – Ashley Force Hood's hopes of starting the NHRA playoffs as the sport's top-ranked Funny Car driver probably were dashed by consecutive first round losses at Sonoma, Calif., and Brainerd, Minn., but the 26-year-old daughter of drag racing icon John Force hasn't lost confidence in crew chiefs Dean "Guido" Antonelli and Ron Douglas nor in her Castrol GTX® team – not by a long shot. "Dad says that sometimes it's just as important to find out what doesn't work as what does," said the graduate of Cal State-Fullerton, "and that's kinda what we've had going on the last couple of races." With her participation in the playoffs assured, Force Hood and her team have been in modified test mode in preparation for the Charlotte start of the Countdown to One. "We've been doing some testing," Antonelli confirmed, "but not enough to affect our qualifying (Ashley has started third the last two races and her average start in 16 races has been fourth). "We still have a couple of things we want to evaluate and we're probably going to do the Indy test session before the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals." Meantime, the third year crew chief isn't divulging his plan for this week's 25th annual Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, a track on which John Force has won six times but one on which Ashley's only final round appearance came in the Top Alcohol Dragster class (2004). In only her third pro campaign, the former high school cheerleader has enjoyed spectacular success. She has started four races from the No. 1 qualifying position, has been to six final rounds and is the only Funny Car driver to have led the points each of the last two years. Moreover, her win last March in the O'Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston, Texas, represents the only Funny Car victory thus far this season for JFR. -more- Ashley/Maple Grove 2222 "If you look at all the drivers in our category, there's not one dominant person," Ashley said, "(so) it could be anybody's championship. That's exciting for us because we are a newer team. "You wouldn't think that going up against teams that have been racing longer than I've been alive we would be thinking about a championship, but in our sport, anything can happen. It's not impossible. We definitely have the car to do it if we can (avoid) mistakes." In Ashley's estimation, the difference between this season and last is that a year ago her team was randomly doing well whereas this year it is consistently doing so. "I think we have a great shot at it," she said. "A huge part of why we're doing so well is because of the team we have put together here that works really well with the crew chiefs (and) that works really good with the driver. "We've been fortunate that we've kept our team relatively intact (and) now that we've finally gained a little confidence, there's no reason not to (go for the championship). Obviously, you always want to try to win," she said, "but I think there was a time when we told ourselves that we don't need to be (aiming) too high. Now, that's changed. "We have a car that runs good in a lot of different conditions and that's what you need in the Countdown. We're really excited. Now if we can just get our other Mustangs locked in, maybe we can bring the championship back to JFR." * * * * Did You Know? – Ashley was the 2008 winner of the Automobile Club of Southern California's Road to the Future Award as the NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year. – Ashley is the only Funny Car driver to have led the points each of the last two years. – Ashley was named 2008 Female Athlete of the Year by the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation in Los Angeles. – Ashley's Castrol GTX Mustang was the fastest Funny Car at the 1,000 foot distance in 2008 (310.05 mph) and is the fastest again this year (312.13 mph). – Ashley is in the Countdown for the second straight year, insuring her third straight Top 10 finish. Off the Track: – Ashley was among a group of drivers and NHRA sponsors who participated in the Opening Bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange on June 10. She was joined by BP/Castrol executive Marci Brand, Regional Vice-President, Automotive Americas, as well as by drivers Antron Brown, Bob Tasca III, Morgan Lucas, Karen Stoffer, Tony Pedregon and Eddie Krawiec. – Ashley was one of the stars of Driving Force, a real life series that aired for two seasons on A&E Network and focused on her development as a race car driver. – Ashley and her cat, Simba, are featured in a coffee table book on athletes and their pets by award-winning photographer David Woo. – Ashley has written a children's book focusing on a "Day at the Races" for which a publisher currently is being sought. -www.johnforceracing.com- For more information about Castrol-branded products and services, please visit us at Castrol.com/US **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! 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